Cameron Carter-Vickers called out by Sam Allardyce after Celtic’s loss to Rangers

Cameron Carter-Vickers has admitted Celtic need to rediscover a clear identity after their 1-0 defeat to Rangers, with the defender acknowledging that the team have been playing without enough structure.

The centre-back completed the entire Old Firm clash as Martin O’Neill’s side suffered their third consecutive defeat in the space of a week. The latest setback also marked Celtic’s second loss against Rangers during that run, leaving them with just a two-point advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Carter-Vickers has become a regular again since returning from the Achilles problem that ruled him out for most of last season, but he conceded that Celtic lacked a clear plan as the game progressed.

“It’s hard to put your finger on one thing. I think overall we probably played a bit too random,” he said.

The 28-year-old believes Celtic must use the international break to establish a more defined approach and ensure the players understand exactly what is expected of them.

He was also asked whether the lack of cohesion was primarily down to the players or the coaching staff.

Carter-Vickers suggested that both factors could play a part, while highlighting the number of new faces still adapting to life at the club.

“A bit of everything, obviously. The last two games we played have been pressure games,” he explained.

“That’s when I think as players you rely on having something to fall back on.

“At the moment, we just haven’t had the time to get that.”

Celtic’s tactical changes during the derby appeared to underline his comments. O’Neill began with a back three before altering the system after half-time, while the closing stages saw Celtic sacrifice defensive options in favour of adding more attacking players.

The hosts managed to build some pressure late on, particularly following Haissem Hassan’s introduction, but Rangers still threatened whenever they regained possession.

Carter-Vickers was careful not to directly criticise the coaching staff or suggest that Celtic simply need more instructions from the manager.

“I’m not saying necessarily better direction. I’m just saying there’s a lot of new players at the club,” he said.

“It’s just about getting everybody on the same script and keep going.”

The international break now provides O’Neill and his staff with an opportunity to address the issues exposed during a difficult week, although several Celtic players will be away on international duty.

For Carter-Vickers, the priority is to return from the break with a clearer idea of how the team want to play.

“I think it’s definitely time for us to reflect and try and get a plan together to go forward and try and improve.”

His comments about getting everyone “on the same script” offer a revealing insight into Celtic’s recent difficulties, with the club now looking to find greater consistency and cohesion after three successive defeats.